|
June 26, 2024
To our valued Active Transportation partners,
We’re ramping up for the next round of funding in our Oregon Community Paths Program! Here are some important updates for you.
As part of the 2024 solicitation, we have provided templates for 1) Project Refinement and 2) Construction Pre-Applications. You can find these on the Oregon Community Paths website for your review, prior to the pre-application solicitation period beginning August 1st. NOTE: You will be unable to submit these templates, but you can save them on your local drive and copy/paste narrative information into the pre-application beginning in August. We have also updated the Frequently Asked Questions and added a copy of the presentation used in the webinars.
Important information
What is the Oregon Community Paths Program (OCP)? The OCP invests in facilities that are not primarily on or along a roadway. These off-system paths may be pedestrian/bicycle paths or path segments such as:
- Regional paths that connect communities or larger paths.
- Critical links that connect to major destinations, such as employment centers, schools, large transit stations, etc.
Who is eligible to apply for these grants? Eligible applicants include cities, counties, Tribes, school districts or transportation districts, and non-profits that meet certain criteria (see Frequently Asked Questions).
What types of walking and biking path projects are eligible? Projects that can be funded include those that could, for example:
- Traverse a park to connect another path.
- Go between housing developments to connect to a school or another path.
- Go along greenways or old rail lines.
- Exist in areas that are not otherwise within the public right of way.
- Cross streets, connecting paths.
Where is the funding from? The 2024 solicitation will use federal Transportation Alternatives Program and Oregon Transportation Commission-directed Surface Transportation Block Grant funding. There will not be any state-funded projects awarded in this round.
When are you accepting applications?
- Pre-applications will be accepted August 1 through September 16 and these are required to submit an application. We will let you know by September 30 if you are eligible to submit an application.
- Applications will be accepted November 1 through January 15, 2025.
- Oregon Transportation Commission is scheduled to review and approve awards in May, 2025.
- Project agreements are planned to be executed in October, 2025.
What are we working to achieve? Our goal is to complement existing active transportation programs in communities across the state.
What's next? We will begin accepting pre-applications from August 1 through September 16. A reminder, you will not be able to submit your templates and will have to fill out new forms. As in previous cycles, you can contact the Oregon Community Paths program at Alan.L.Thompson@odot.oregon.gov or (971) 375-3903 with questions related to the pre-application.
Background
Oregon Community Paths is a competitive statewide transportation program that supports investments in multiuse paths that are not part of a roadway. Examples of eligible projects may be routes or segments that pass through a park, along a greenway, or follow abandoned rail corridors to connect community centers, services, housing, employment, schools and recreation. Some on-road projects, such as roadway crossings for existing paths, are also eligible. OCP projects must serve a transportation purpose (not recreational) and must be open for public use. The program was created by the Oregon Legislature's HB 2017.
For more information, please contact Alan Thompson, 971-375-3903.
Thank you for your support of safe walking and rolling in Oregon!
-The Oregon Community Paths team
|
